Blanching apparatus



t- 29, 1950 w. c. HANSON 2,520,719

BLANCHING APPARATUS 3 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .50. C. .Eanson IQTTYS Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" BLANCHING APPARATUS Walter 0. Hanson, Fresno, Calif., assignor of onehalt to David R. McKinley, Sacramento, Calif.

Application August 19, 1946, Serial No. 691,604

2 Claims, 1

This invention relates to the blanching of fruits and other produce while in the process of canning; one object being to provide apparatus for the purpose by means of which the produce is efficiently and quickly blanched by steam at low pressure and without any of the juices, etc. being lost and wasted.

The apparatus includes a vertically movable unit carrying a number of steam spray heads adapted to be inserted into a corresponding number of open cans of the produce supported on a conveyor, the cans being moved into position under the spray heads while the latter are raised; the heads being then lowered and the steam turned on for a certain length of time to effect the blanching action. The steam is then shut off, the spray heads are raised to clear the cans and said cans are moved out of the way. Other cans are moved into position and the cycle of operations is repeated.

In connection with such apparatus, it is another object of the invention to provide for the above cycle of operations to be carried out automatically andcontinuously so that only a minimum of manual help is required in connection with the blanching process.

A further object of the invention is to produce a practical device and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the blanching apparatus showing a battery of cans in position relative to the spray heads but before the latter are lowered.

Figure 2 is a similar view but with the spray heads disposed in cooperative engagement with the cans.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the steam head and jet units.

Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an automatic control arrangement for the apparatus.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the blanching apparatus comprises an endless driven conveyor I of suitable type provided with locating elements 2 for a single-file row of cans 3 whose contents are to be blanched.

Disposed above the conveyor and extending lengthwise thereof is a horizontal beam 4 guided for vertical movement by uprights 5. The beam is suspended from the piston rod 6 of a ram 1 above the same.

Slidable through the beams are steam pipes 8 connected below the beam to hollow steam heads or manifolds 9. The various heads are spaced the same as the cans located on the belt so that the row of cans may register with the heads; the diameter of the latter being greater than that of the cans.

Springs l0 about the pipes between the beam 4 and the heads urge the latter down; such downward movement being limited by stops on the pipes above the beam and which are actually Ls H.

The L's are individually connected to a main steam conduit [2 by flexible hoses l3 so that any pipe 8, and the head 9 supported thereby, can yield upwardly without disturbing the others. Conduit I2 is connected to a flexible supply hose H so that said conduit can move up with the beam.

Secured in and depending from each head is a number of steam jet tubes I5 spaced to enter the cans and of a length only slightly less than the height of the cans. A baffle I6 is preferably disposed in each head chamber I1 below pipe 8 so as to distribute the steam evenly to the various tubes {5. The can bears against a gasket sheet I8 which, inwardly of the rim of the can, is clamped to the bottom of the head by a ring I9, and outvertical wardly of the can extends upwardly about the head as at 20, and is held taut by a bevel clamping band 2|; the adjacent peripheral portion of the head being beveled 0r tapered as shown in Fig. 3. The band is adjustably retained in place by bolts 22 projecting through radial ears 23 on the head. The gasket may thus be easily adjusted as it stretches, and also easily replaced when necessary.

In operation, the conveyor is operated to dispose a row of cans under and in alinement with the heads 9; the ram having been first actuated to raise said heads and the tubes l5 clear of the cans as shown in Fig. 1. When the cans are in position the ram is actuated to lower beam 4 and the heads suspended therefrom until said beam is engaged by stops S on the uprights 5, limiting the downward movement of the beam. When the beam is thus disposed, the heads are in pressing engagement with the cans and the springs H! are under compression, the pipes 8 sliding up through the beam somewhat as shown in Fig. 2.

Steam is then turned on, causing the steam to pass through the jet tubes and act on the produce in the cans to blanch the same. When the steam pressure has built up in the cans sumc ient operations shall be carried out automatically,

and to this end, one arrangement for attaining such automatic operation is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4.

In this arrangement, a 4-way reversing valve 24 is interposed in the fluid lines 25 to ram 1, the valve being actuated in one direction or the other. to control the flow of fluid into one end or the other of the ram cylinder, by electric devices such as solenoids 26 and 21. The solenoids are interposed in circuits 28 and 29, respectively, having normally open switches 30 and 3|, respectively, therein.

The steam pipe H has a sprin closed valve 32 therein which is electrically opened by a suitable device such as a solenoid 33. This solenoid is interposed in a circuit 34 having a normally open switch 35 therein.

Conveyor l is driven by a motor 36 interposed in. a circuit 31 having a normally open switch 38 therein.

The various switches are arranged to be closed and then allowed to open in predetermined order by a constantly driven cam unit 39, or so that the switch 38 is first closed for sufficient time to cause conveyor I to be driven -to advance a string of cans into position. As soon as switch 38 opens, switch 38 is closed to cause the ram to be actuated so that beam 4 is lowered, and the steam jets disposed in said cans.

As soon as the jets are thus lowered the switch 35 is closed to open valve 32 and admit steam to pipe l4 and the steam jets. After the valve has been opened for the desired blanching period, switch 35 is opened to allow said valve to close itself. The switch 3| then closes to reverse valve 24 and actuate the ram to raise the jets out of the cans. The above operations take. place with each full revolution of the cam unit. The switch 38 is then closed to again start motor 21 and advance the conveyor; the cycle of operations above described being then repeated.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device,

still in practice such deviations from such de-' tail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. I

Having, thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. Apparatus for blanching produce in an open container including means to support the container, a rigid vertical frame adjacent said supporting means, a horizontal beam mounted in said frame for vertical reciprocating movement, a pipe slidably mounted in said frame and depending below the same, stop means on the pipe above the beam to limit downward movement of the pipe, a manifold at the lower-end of the pipe and in communication therewith, a spring interposed between the beam and manifold and loaded to yield under a predetermined pressure against the manifold, a steam discharge pipe depending from and in communication with the manifold and being of a length to project a substantial distance into the container upon lowering of the manifold into contact with the top of the container, power means effective to lower the beam and press the manifold against the container and place the spring under compression, and means to supply steam under pressure to the pipe.

2. Apparatus for blanching produce in open containers including means to support a plurality 'of containers in spaced relation, a rigid vertical frame adjacent said supporting means, a horizontal beam mounted in said frame for vertical reciprocating movement, a plurality of pipes slidably mounted in said frame and depending below the same, a stop means on each pipe above the beam to limit downward movement of the pipes, a manifold on the lower end of each pipe and in communication therewith, a spring interposed between each manifold and the beam and loaded to yield under a predetermined pressure, a steam discharge pipe depending from and in communication with each manifold and being disposed to project into one of the cans upon lowering of the manifolds, flexible steam supply conduits inter-connected between the several pipes whereby each pipe may slide through the beam without effectin movement of any other pipe, power means effective to lower the beam and press the manifolds against the cans and place the springs under compression, and. a means to supply steam under pressure to the conduits inter-connecting the pipes. I

WALTER C. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Landrum et al Mar. 18, 1924 

